The Las Vegas Caravan for Mammogram marks its tenth year on October 3 with a free community event promoting breast cancer screenings and health equity across Southern Nevada.
On October 3, pink-adorned cars will cruise through Southern Nevada. The Las Vegas Caravan for Mammogram is back for its tenth year. This isn’t just another parade. It’s a public push for breast cancer screening that’s become a fixture in the city’s calendar.
Las Vegas Black Image Magazine started the event in 2018. Their goal was clear: get more Black women to schedule annual mammograms. The founders, Kimberly Bailey Tureaud and Charles Tureaud, saw a stubborn problem. Black women in the U.S. die from breast cancer at higher rates than white women. Missed or late screenings are a big reason. The caravan puts breast health in the open. It makes skipping a screening harder to justify. The University of Washington Center for Food and Health reports that Black women in the U.S. still face breast cancer death rates about 40% higher than white women. The main reason is lack of early screening and treatment.
National data show that the female breast cancer death rate in the U.S. has dropped by 44% from 1989 to 2024, largely due to mammography screening and advances in personalized treatment.
Community leaders drive the message
This year, two grand marshals will lead the caravan. Their stories match the event’s mission. Marilyn Booker, an attorney and Wall Street veteran, brings her advocacy for women’s health and small business. She founded OPPSWell.com, sits on the finance committee for the BeyGOOD Foundation, and is vice chair of the City of Las Vegas Audit Oversight Committee. Event coordinator Kimberly Bailey Tureaud says Booker’s long commitment to community health keeps the caravan moving forward. Local organizers confirmed that both Marilyn Booker and Charles Tureaud will take part in the 2026 event. They have also called on the medical community to join as partners, according to News 3 LV.
Anna Bailey will join Booker. Bailey just turned 100. She broke barriers as the first Black showgirl on the Strip, danced at the Moulin Rouge, and was the first Black woman in Las Vegas to hold a gaming license. Her advice is simple. If something feels wrong, see a doctor.
Expanding access and partnerships
The caravan is more than a parade. It’s a call for action from the medical community. Organizers want health care providers and groups to help expand screenings and support. Anyone interested can call 702-743-9613 to get involved. This year’s sponsors include Southwest Gas, Comprehensive Cancer Centers, Steinberg Diagnostic, and Astrana Health. The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District is also a community partner. State Cancer Profiles data show that breast cancer deaths among women in Nevada dropped from 2019 to 2023. This matches the national trend of falling female breast cancer mortality rates.
Recent cancer statistics indicate that while breast cancer incidence in the U.S. increased by about 1.1% per year from 2018 to 2022, overall mortality among women declined by approximately 1.5% annually between 2019 and 2023. Updated 2026 guidelines recommend that women at average risk begin mammography screening at age 40.
The event keeps growing. Organizers say the caravan is just one part of a bigger push to close health gaps in Southern Nevada. The main goal is to make preventive care easy and routine for everyone. National experts, including those cited by the University of Washington and the ASCO Post, point out that Black women in the U.S. face higher breast cancer death rates even when incidence is similar or lower. Targeted outreach and fair access to care matter.
Las Vegas events and health initiatives
The Caravan for Mammogram is one of many community events shaping Las Vegas. As previously reported earlier, the city keeps investing in projects that bring people together and address local needs, from arts to health.
This tenth anniversary shows what grassroots action can do. The caravan started small. Now it’s a citywide tradition. In Las Vegas, spectacle is normal. This event proves community health can take center stage.
